21 December 2023

Iolo cannot believe what he has done

Iolo, with his bloodstained knuckles, following his assault on Cai, looks with disbelief at what he has done;  

He scampers back to Dadi

then he panics and scrambles out of the boxing ring as fast as he can.   Cai is left in that condition.

Cheryl selects sliced white bread

In the shop, Cheryl is picking up a white loaf 

"Sourdough is a lot nicer"

when Kelly remarks, “Sourdough is a lot nicer.”   She is accused of being as much of a food snob as Gaynor;  Cheryl wonders what is wrong with sliced.   “I can’t put avocado on sliced bread,” Kelly sarcastically continues, 

"What would my Insta followers say?"

“What would my Insta followers say?”

Rhys comes into the shop and Kelly comments that she has not seen him for ages.   

"I'm working from home"

He says that he is working from home for a while, 

"Hiding – That's what guilty people do" 

and Cheryl decides, “He’s hiding – that’s what guilty people do.”

"You don't think I did it?"

“You don’t think I did it?” he demands and she points out that a lot of people are accusing him.   

 protests, “I would never . . .” 

He walks out of the shop

but then simply walks out.   

The guilt is weighing heavily on Kelly

Kelly, with her burden of guilt, looks very concerned.

"Listen to this joke, Iolo!"

At Y Felin, Siôn is laughing at something he has seen on the laptop and when the door opens, he says, “Hey, Iolo, listen to this joke!”   

Then he looks at Iolo

As soon as he turns round and sees Iolo’s condition, 

"What has happened?"

he wants to know what has happened.

"I think I've killed Cai!"

“I think I’ve killed Cai!” says his son.

"We should go for a Christmas drink . . ."

“Y’know, I think we should go for a Christmas drink one night,” Kelly proposes as they come out of the shop, but Cheryl is not really in the Christmas spirit.   “I’m never in the Christmas spirit – 

". . . or just be 'bah-humbugs'!"

“we could just, I don’t know, just drink gin and be ‘bah-humbugs’!” Kelly groans.

Rhys waves at a passing car

She sees Rhys coming out of the deli 

"Cheryl didn't mean it"

and explains to him that Cheryl is upset and did not mean what she said.   

"You're not the one being accused!"

“That’s easy for you to say – you’re not the one being accused!” he snaps.

"I cpouldn't stop, Dad!"

“I hit him and hit him and hit him until he couldn’t move!” Iolo sobs, “I couldn’t stop, Dad!   I don’t know if he was breathing – I didn’t check – 

"I was frightened!"

“I was frightened.”

"This is not like you, Iolo"

His father maintains that this is not like him 

"I don't even know who I am any more, Dad"

and Iolo confesses that he has not felt like himself for months;  “I don’t even know who I am any more, Dad.   What am I going to do?”

"We'll sort it out"

Siôn does not know the answer to that, but is adamant that they will sort it.   

"We have to go back there"

“We have to go back there,” he goes on, but Iolo whimpers that he cannot face that.   

"You have to – now!"

“You have to – now!” his father insists, 

"Go upstairs to wash and change"

“Go upstairs to wash and change.”  

Siôn debates his next move

Siôn appears unsure of his next move.

Kelly follows Rhys to the flat

Rhys has retired to the comparative safety of the shop flat, but Kelly follows him there;  

"She didn't mean it"

“Oh, Rhys, she didn’t mean it.”   

"It sounded like it to me"

He maintains that she sounded as if she did;  no-one has accused him for weeks.

“I was stupid enough to think people believed me – but they’ve just been saying it behind my back.”   

"No-one has said anything to me"

Kelly assures him that no one has said anything to her.   

"Until the person who did it is caught . . ."

“Until the person who did it is caught, people will always think it was me – and what if I get a girlfriend, or this pervert does it again?” he demands.

"They won't do it again"

Kelly, with her inside knowledge, is adamant that they will not, but he protests that she does not know that.   “I know you’re innocent – and I’ll make damn sure everyone else does!” she promises him.

"Mud sticks, Kelly"

“Mud sticks, and if you get a label like this, it never leaves you!” he tells her, 

"People who know me believe I could do it"

“Do you know what really hurts?   That people who know me believe I could do it.”

Kelly has no answer to that

Kelly at this point cannot think of anything to say and he would prefer to be left alone, so she leaves the flat.

She goes straight home to Bryntirion 

When she arrives back at Bryntirion, she hears Jason coming downstairs;  

Jason is dealing with the laundry

he announces that he has changed Ifan’s bedsheets and asks if she has anything else to wash.

"We're going to the Bull at Llanarthur"

He has booked a day out for them on Sunday;  “We’re going to the Bull at Llanarthur, where Santa is going to make an appearance – ooh!   Then I thought we could go to the cinema in Carmarthen – 

"Do you think we should get a VIP ticket?"

“do you think we should get a VIP ticket?   You get premier seats, popcorn and a snowman cake.”

Kelly’s attention appears to have been elsewhere 

"I don't deserve it, Jase"

and she replies, “I don’t deserve it.”   Jason wants to know what is wrong now;  

"Cheryl accused Rhys of the 'spiking'"

“I’ve just seen Cheryl and we bumped into Rhys.   She accused Rhys of the ‘spiking’.”

"We're not wasting another second feeling upset"

Jason insists that is not their problem;  “After everything we’ve been through this year, what did we say?   We’re not wasting another second feeling upset.”

"Jason, it's my fault!

Kelly snarls, “Jason, it’s my fault!”   

"Ifan deserves a nice Christmas"

He demands that she drops this, stressing that they deserve a nice Christmas – Ifan deserves a nice Christmas.

She knows that, so he asks, “Can we try and forget about seeing Rhys and Cheryl – and start to enjoy your day off?”   

"I need to go for a walk to clear my head"

She advises him to book the VIP tickets;  “I know I just got back, but I need to go for a walk to clear my head before Ifan’s Christmas show,” she says 

"Could you get more Sellotape?"

and he wonders if she could get some more Sellotape.

“Do you think this means we’ve bought Ifan too many pressies?” Kelly enquires, “But it will be worth it!”   

Jason kisses Kelly

Jason kisses her.

Back at the gym . . .

Siôn and Iolo return to the gym and 

. . . the gloves are there, but there is no sign of Cai . . .

are alarmed to see that although the discarded gloves are still lying there, Cai has disappeared.   

. . . which Iolo finds perplexing

Bemused, Iolo looks at his father.

"What have I done to deserve these?"

Kelly has taken some flowers to Cheryl, who wonders what she has done to deserve them.  

"Just something to cheer you up"

“It’s just something to cheer you up,” Kelly replies, “Not that I think a bunch of flowers makes everything all right, obviously.”

Mark's old dartboard?

It is surprising to see that the dartboard is still on the back of the door at Maes-y-Deri – surely not something that Gaynor would tolerate?  

"I've also got some chocolates"

Kelly has also brought chocolates, just in case Cheryl also likes to eat her feelings.   

"I just want to make sure you're all right"

“I just want to make sure you’re all right, you know.”

"I don't know what came over me"

Cheryl apologises for her earlier outburst;  “I don’t know what came over me, accusing Rhys like that.   It may have been the shock of seeing him.   Gaynor doesn’t think he could do such thing – but it’s so hard to know.   

"Who do you think did it?"

“Who do you think did it?” she asks Kelly, “Everybody thinks it’s Rhys or Howard – do you think they’re capable of that?”

"Everyone knows what I think of Howard!"

Kelly sneers, “Everyone knows what I think of Howard – he’s scum!”   

"He threatened to rape me last year"

Then she realises that Cheryl does not know, so enlightens her, “Howard threatened to rape me last year!”

"It must have been him, then"

Cheryl is now convinced that it must have been him, but Kelly sounds less sure about that;  “I don’t want to see you go down a rabbit hole without evidence!   

"I've accepted he's not going to be punished"

“I’ve had to accept that Howard is not going to be punished for what he did to me – and you should do the same.”

"He couldn't have walked anywhere"

Iolo is quite sure that Cai could not have walked anywhere, 

"He must have done"

but Siôn replies that he must have done;  “He was unconscious, Dad – he was covered in blood!”

When Siôn suggests that he might have gone home, Iolo points out that he did not have a car.   “I don’t know, Iolo – I have no idea what happened here, but he’s not here!”   

"What are we going to do now?"

Iolo is in even more of a panic, demanding what they are going to do now.

"We have to get rid of any evidence . . . "

Looking at Iolo’s tool-bag, Siôn determines, “We have to get rid of any evidence that you were here – shift – 

". . . we're getting out of here!"

“we’re getting out of here!”   

Iolo looks at where Cai was lying

Iolo picks up the gloves from the canvas and looks at the spot where Cai was previously lying.   His father continues urging him to leave.

"Did he target me specifically?"

“Do you think Howard targeted me specifically, or he didn’t care?   If he did, he might come for me again!” worries Cheryl, “I’ve been trying not to let it affect me, but it has – a lot more than I thought.   

"Knowing he's out there . . ."

“And knowing he’s out there, I’m second-guessing everything!   I’ve even questioned whether Mark is good man lately.”

"Mark is one of the best!"

Kelly assures her Mark is one of the best;  “You don’t deserve any of this – I’m so sorry.”   

Now Cheryl feels a little better

Saying this out loud has made Cheryl feel better, after holding it in for so long and she thanks Kelly, who has tears in her eyes.

Cheryl has some hairdressing to do

Cheryl has to go now, explaining, “Christmas is the busiest time of the year for a hairdresser.”   

"Look after yourself, all right?"

Kelly leaves the house, urging Cheryl to look after herself.

Siôn dials Cai's number

Back at Y Felin, where there is no sign of Cai, they wonder where he could possibly be;  Siôn tries his phone again, but is redirected to the answering machine.   

"Will you be home for dinner?"

He leaves the message, “Cai, it’s me again – I want to know if you’re coming home for dinner – let me know.”

"Tell me exactly what happened"

He is formulating a plan and tells his son, “Right, I want you to tell me exactly what happened, right from the start – now!   Why was Cai so determined to talk to you today?”

"I've been taking Diazepam!"

“Because he was worried about me,” Iolo answers and Siôn needs to know everything in order to protect him.   “OK, I’ve been taking Diazepam!”

"I didn't know you had been to the doctor"

Siôn points out that he did not say he had been to see a doctor.  

"I can't keep it under control . . ."

“Because I haven’t.   I’m sorry, Dad – I was hoping I could keep it under control, but I can’t – 

". . . I'm an addict!"

“I’m an addict!”   

Siôn is speechless

Siôn finds this news astounding.

Kelly comes into the Deri

Jinx is dealing with some paperwork while sitting in the Deri;  

"Double vodka and tonic, please"

Kelly comes in and asks Geraint for a double vodka and tonic.   

"Festive fun – or a long week?"

“Wow – festive fun – or a long week?” Jinx enquires.

"The latter"

“The latter,” she glumly replies and he agrees that Christmas is stressful, but he also knows that something else is more stressful;  doing the accounts just days before the big day.   He can sense that she is not OK.

"Do you sometimes feel things are too much?"

“No, not really – do you sometimes feel that things are too much?” she asks and he imagines that everyone feels like that at this time of year.   

"Are you looking after yourself, Kelly?"

He wonders if she is looking after herself and she whispers, “I’m tired – I try to help everyone and sort everything, 

"I fail every single time"

“but I fail every single time.   This place trust suffocates me, Jinx.”

"That's not going to help, Kelly!"

As she swigs her vodka, he points out that this is not going to help;  “Just talk to me – tell me what’s going on.”   

"I need a break from everything"

She insists that she needs a break – a break from everything, 

"Go and stay with your Mam"

so he encourages her to go;  “Stay with your Mam for a few days – or your friends.”

She points out that it is just a few days before Christmas, but he replies, “If that’s what you need.”   

"But it's Ifan's Christmas show this afternoon"

Kelly continues that it is Ifan’s Christmas show this afternoon.

“There are a few days before Christmas – 

"Plenty of people can look after him"

“there are plenty of people who can look after Ifan and support him,” Jinx assures her, but she cannot understand why things have to be so complicated.   “Perhaps it’s you making them complicated,” he suggests.

"Yeah, you've got that one right!"

“Yeah, you’ve got that one right!” she groans, and drains her glass before leaving.   

Jinx is concerned about her

Jinx looks concerned about her.

"You stole from the pharmacy?"

having heard the full story, Siôn demands, “You stole from the pharmacy?” 

"Maya saw me on the CCTV"

and Iolo replies that he was caught on CCTV by Maya, but she was going to keep quiet and . . .”

"CCTV?   Does the gym have it?"

Siôn is alarmed by the mention of CCTV and wants to know whether the gym has it;  he insists that they have to go back there.

Kelly is back home . . .

Kelly returns to Bryntirion, where Jason is eager to ask whether she got the Sellotape, 

. . . and she did remember the Sellotape

which she produces.   “Are you ready then, to go to school?” he continues.

"I'm going away for a couple of days"

She announces that she is going away for couple of days, possibly to her mother’s;  “I just know I have to leave – I’m sorry.”   Again Jason reminds her that they were going to try to forget about everything and focus on Christmas – and themselves.   

"My head's a mess, Jase!"

“My head’s a mess, Jase!” she tells him.

“Why can’t you sort it here – with your family?” he asks, 

"Please let me help you"

“I can help you, Kelly – please let me help you.”

"No, I need a couple of days, OK?"

“No, I need a couple of days, OK?    

"To find a way of coping with what I've done"

“To figure things out and to find a way of coping with what I’ve done.”

Jason wants to know what has changed since earlier;  

"Has Jinx got somethings to do with this?"

“Has Jinx got something to do with this?”   She admits that she did bump into him earlier and that he thought a break would be a good idea.

"If Jinx says so, you have to leave"

“All right, then – there we are.   If Jinx says so, you have to leave – what about Ifan?   

"What's Jinx's advice about not seeing Ifan?"

“What was Jinx’s advice about not turning up to watch Ifan?   Seeing how much he’s looking forward to seeing you there?”

"Look at the state of me, Jase!"

Kelly shouts, “I’m doing this for Ifan – look at the state of me, Jase!   I don’t want to wreck his Christmas – 

"This isn't Jinx's fault!"

“and this isn’t Jinx’s fault!”

"I'm going to the school, Kelly . . . "

Jason heads for the door, picking up his coat on the way;  “I’m going to school, Kelly, to watch Ifan in his Christmas show – because, 

". . . unlike you, I can't just get up and leave!"

“unlike you, I can’t just get up and leave!”   Kelly is reduced to tears.

Iolo intends to contact the police

Back at the gym again, Iolo is dialling a number on his phone;  “I have to do this, Dad, I don’t have a choice!” he says, but Siôn snatches the phone from him.

"You're not doing that!"

“No, you’re not calling the police!” he snarls, as Iolo protests that he cannot just sit back and do nothing.   

"What about Greta?"

“What about Greta?   What will she do it without you?”

"She might be better off without me!"

Iolo shouts, “She might be better off without me!” but is warned never to say that again;  they are sorting things.   Siôn has been outside and there are no cameras.

"He may have imagined everything"

“Now come on – if Cai goes to the police, you deny everything!   Cai is ill – he’s just come out of psychiatric hospital – it’s possible you were never here – perhaps he imagined it.”

"You can't use his mental health problems!"

Iolo draws the line at using Cai’s mental health problems, but his father is insistent, “If anyone asks, you’ve been with me all day, all right?   Iolo, you weren’t of sound mind when you did what you did!”

"But where is Cai?"

Iolo is still desperate to know where Cai is, but his father is adamant that it does not matter about Cai;  

"What's important is that nothing points to you!"

“What’s important now is that nothing points to you!” 

They leave the gym

and they walk together out of the gym.

They are back from the Christmas show

Jason returns with Ifan from the Christmas show;  

"Cokme on, Balthasar, go and play"

“Come on, Balthasar, go and play,” he says, then goes into the kitchen 

He reads Kelly's note

where he finds a note on the table reading, ‘Sorry I had to leave.   Love you  xx’